Top season ever by a Brewer 1B?

[gregmag]

Prince Fielder's amazing season got me thinking about whether this is the best season ever by a Brewer 1B. The answer is that, as of now, he has a realistic chance of achieving that distinction. After last night, Prince has an OPS+ of 152. Here are the ten best offensive full seasons by Brewer first basemen, measured by OPS+:

 

Coop 1980 155

Coop 1981 151 (strike year, but I'm counting it; Coop had 453 PAs)

Scott 1973 143

Coop 1982 142

Scott 1975 139

Coop 1983 139

Sexson 2003 136

Coop 1978 133

Coop 1979 133

Jaha 1996 131

 

(Sexson also put up a 143 OPS for the Brewers in 2000, but that was in less than half a season. His total that year, counting his games with Cleveland, was 112. Johnny Briggs put up a 140 and Jaha a 141 in partial seasons in 1971 and 1995. Don Mincher put up a 131 for the Seattle Pilots in 1969.)

 

Man, was Cecil Cooper good. He absolutely had a Hall of Fame-caliber peak, but he just started too slowly and ended too quickly. One thing I realized while looking at these numbers was what a good job the Brewers have done over the years of getting the best parts of some pretty good 1Bs' careers. Scott for Cooper has to be the best trade in Brewers history -- Scott, after starring in Milwaukee, had one more decent year and then faded out; Coop instantly became one of the best players in baseball. Richie still has a chance to come back, but so far since the trade he has had one season that matches (exceeds, to be fair) his Milwaukee seasons, and he only had one such year before coming here. Overbay played what is reasonably likely to stand as his best baseball with us. Jaha had only one good year after he left, although he really had only 1.5 good years while he was here. Prince has been great out of the gate, and he's the kind of player who is as likely to decline in his early 30s as he is to be playing elsewhere when he does so. The less said about Greg Brock and Franklin Stubbs (and Mark Loretta, as a starting 1B for the Brewers), the better.

 

Cooper wiped the floor with Prince as a defender, so I'd spot him a few points of OPS. I'd say, unscientifically, that Prince would have to top 160 to take the undisputed crown. He could do that, and the fact that we're even having this conversation about a 23 year-old in his second full season is astonishing. Go Prince!

 

Greg.

 

 

(added tags --1992)

[Fatter than Joey]

Scott for Cooper has to be the best trade in Brewers history

 

Yep -- It was a great one for sure. The Red Sox had a glut of sluggers. -- but this trade is up there with the Vuk/Fingers/Simmons deal and the Oglivie/Slaton 1yr rental deals.

 

Cooper wiped the floor with Prince as a defender,

 

Scott wiped the floor with Prince as a defender as well. Scott was probably better than Cooper-- but that is debatable. Scott was a GREAT 1b defensively. Scott also played on very crappy teams as well -- He didn't enjoy the protection that Cooper and Fielder enjoy.